A rchive Date
[ 07-03-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Russia ]
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[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2003/03/06/37235-ap.html
Russia says it might back new UN resolution
Fri, March 7, 2003
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia may support a new UN Security Council resolution if it helps find a political solution to the Iraqi crisis, but would oppose any attempt to legitimize war, a top diplomat said Friday.
"If it's just another way to legitimize a quick military operation, then our position is well known," Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov said at a briefing. "We believe that a military operation in current situation would be a tragic mistake and oppose it."
Mamedov said that President Vladimir Putin would determine Moscow's position after hearing details from his Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who is attending the crucial Security Council session Friday.
"If it's a sincere attempt to find a political solution in the extraordinarily difficult circumstances, then, of course, we will take all the proposals into account," Mamedov said when asked to comment about British proposals for a new, U.S.-backed resolution that would set a short deadline for Baghdad to fully disarm.
U.S. President George W. Bush warned the Security Council Thursday that the diplomatic process was coming to an end and said he would soon seek a vote on a resolution authorizing war.
Mamedov said that Putin and Bush discussed the Iraqi crisis and other issues in a telephone conversation at about 1 am local time Friday (2200 GMT Thursday). "The president of the United States views Russia's position with respect and takes it into consideration," Mamedov said.
Asked how Russia would react in case the United States launches a military attack on Iraq, Mamedov said that Moscow would be strongly critical of the move, but added that both nations should focus on preserving their otherwise warm ties.
"It wouldn't be the first disagreement that we had," Mamedov said, pointing at Russia's strong criticism of the U.S. and British air strikes on Iraq in 1998 and the 1999 NATO's air campaign on Yugoslavia.
"The emphasis shouldn't be put on how we will criticize each other if we fail to reach agreement, but on what we should do today to preserve the general movement toward partnership and the integrity of the anti-terror coalition ... while differing in our assessment of certain issues," Mamedov said.
He said that Putin and Bush emphasized the need to maintain close bilateral relationship despite the friction over Iraq in their conversation Friday. "Both our president and the president of the United States spoke about the importance of preserving the positive foundation of the Russian-U.S. partnership even as we are having differences over Iraq," Mamedov said.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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